Federal Maritime Commissioner Rebecca Dye launched the second phase of the Federal Maritime Commission’s Supply Chain Innovation Teams initiative this week. Phase two will focus on identifying the actionable information needed by supply chain actors for improved supply chain system visibility, reliability and resilience.

The first phase of the FMC initiative focused on the import supply chain and ran from May to October of 2016. The key goals of the import teams were enhanced supply chain visibility and performance. The import teams identified the need for a national seaport information portal.

In phase two, nearly 40 experienced industry leaders, organized into three teams, will advance that effort – representing public port authorities, warehouses, exporters, ocean carriers, longshore labor, ocean transportation intermediaries, trucking, and rail. The export teams will meet in Washington for two days beginning today — with additional meetings as agreed by the participants.

“Actionable knowledge, is the key differentiator, in today’s economy, between being competitive or not,” said Commissioner Dye. “Commerce in the twenty-first century depends on developing and maintaining first-class information infrastructures. Our nation’s ocean transportation supply system needs accurate, actionable information delivered in a reliable and timely way.”

Dye emphasized the systemic nature of the supply chain, adding that the FMC project is focused on delivering key pieces of critical information, not just large amount of data. “Our teams are stepping out of their silos to identity their needs for strategic information, so that our entire supply chain can operate as a harmonious system,” she said. “We are convinced that seaport information infrastructure is key to American economic competitiveness.”

In an earlier report, the FMC found that meaningful, specific information, as opposed to vast volumes of unfiltered data, will help US companies engaged in international trade gain a competitive advantage. Examples of high priority information that would benefit supply chain actors include container, chassis, and dray truck availability.

Commissioner Dye’s goal is to complete the export portion of the Supply Chain Innovation Initiative this fall.